contradiction in terms

Related to contradiction in terms: oxymoron

contradiction in terms

A phrase or expression that causes confusion because it contains words or ideas that contradict each other; an oxymoron. Jumbo shrimp is such a contradiction in terms.
See also: contradiction, term
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

contradiction in terms

a statement containing a seeming contradiction. A wealthy pauper is a contradiction in terms. A straight-talking politician may seem to be a contradiction in terms.
See also: contradiction, term
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

contradiction in terms

A statement that seems to contradict itself, with one part of it denying another. For example, I've always believed that "a poor millionaire" was a contradiction in terms. [Late 1700s]
See also: contradiction, term
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

contradiction in terms

a statement or group of words associating objects or ideas which are incompatible.
1994 Toronto Life Veggie burger?— a contradiction in terms I had no wish to argue with: vegetables are fine and necessary, but in their place.
See also: contradiction, term
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

a contraˌdiction in ˈterms

a statement or description containing two words or phrases that contradict each other’s meaning: They call their project ‘a peace offensive’, which seems to me a contradiction in terms.
See also: contradiction, term
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a contradiction in terms
  • contradiction
  • coin a phrase
  • but hey
  • But, hey
  • hey
  • (as) sure as eggs (is eggs)
  • a penny for them
  • great minds
  • great minds think alike
References in periodicals archive
A Jewish-Christian dialogue relegated to the secular realm is a contradiction in terms.
Jewish Responses to Jewish-Christian Dialogue: A Look Ahead to the Twenty-First Century
Some Environmentalists See Eco-Credit Cards As a Contradiction in Terms, But They Make Money
Green plastics
In this way, a "slavery contract" is a contradiction in terms. All that can be contracted out are services.
Breeder reactionaries
Space shortage might seem like a contradiction in terms given the current state of the New Jersey office market, but the fact of life in the Princeton Route One corridor is that there is very little contiguous space of over 40,000 square-feet available.
Demand remains strong for Princeton R&D space
In what sense is "original" Pop art (which, given its inherently secondhand nature, sounds like a contradiction in terms) present in the Pop sensibility so obvious in much recent art, not just from the US and Europe but globally?
Sampling the globe
Therefore, architecture as a work of art is a contradiction in terms." This comes just after the statement, in reference to the Guggenheim Museum, "I would never criticize an architect like Frank Lloyd Wright because he was satisfying the needs of his own creativity with a candid, the-artist-be-damned attitude." As you see, nothing is simple.
Writings/Interviews